Date: April 5, 2004

Contact: 
787.510.7923

6 BOATS, 345 MIGRANTS STOPPED IN MONA PASS OVER THE WEEKEND

One airlifted for medical treatment

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Close coordination between the U.S. Coast Guard, ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) and the Dominican Republic Navy this weekend stopped 345 migrants in six yolas trying to illegally enter the United States. 

The string of interdictions began late Friday night when a Coast Guard HU-25 Falcon jet spotted a 30-foot yola 20 miles north west of Punta Borinquen with 76 people on board.  The Coast Guard Cutter Dependable intercepted the yola and removed the migrants from their overcrowded vessel.  One man was in need of emergency medical attention and was airlifted to Centro Medical Hospital in Puerto Rico, using a Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter. The remaining 75 migrants were turned over to the Dominican Republic Navy Saturday.

Saturday evening, the crew of an HU-25 Falcon jet spotted a yola 50 miles north west of Punta Borinquen carrying 13 people.  The Coast Guard Cutter Cushing was diverted to the scene and embarked the migrants, who were later transferred to the Dependable then turned over to the Dominican Republic Navy.

Four more yolas were intercepted last night north west of Borinquen.  The first one was again spotted by a Falcon jet crew who vectored in the Cushing to embark 72 migrants. 

The second yola was spotted by the Dependable 33 miles north west of Borinquen.  When the Dependable approached, the yola, carrying 121 people, changed course back toward the Dominican Republic and the migrants aggressively refused to stop their vessel.  The Dominican Republic Navy was notified so that they could intercept the returning vessel and the crew of Dependable continued to follow the yola for safety.  An ICE C-12 maintained aerial coverage until the Dominican naval vessel Bellatrix intercepted the yola and embarked all 121 migrants for return to the Dominican Republic.

The next two yolas were spotted traveling close to one another by an ICE C-12 aircraft north west of Desecheo Island, Puerto Rico.  Again the Dependable and Cushing responded and embarked 63 migrants, 43 from one yola and 20 from the other.  All remaining migrants will be repatriated to the Dominican Republic early today.

344 migrants were Dominican Republic nationals and one Haitian.  Since January 2004, 3017 Dominican migrants have been interdicted by the international, interagency team more than doubling last year's count of 1,469. 

Dependable is a 210-foot Medium Endurcance Cutter homeported in Cape May, N.J.

Cushing is a 110-foot Patrol Boat homeported in San Juan.

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